Container carrier application system and method

Abstract

A system for packaging two or more containers with a paperboard carrier having two or more apertures. Each aperture has a plurality of tabs formed at an inside edge thereof that bend upward when contacting a lower edge of a chime of one of the containers. The system includes a platen having apertures for pressing the carrier down uniformly onto the containers and a carrier support configured for maintaining the carrier in the flat configuration as the platen presses the carrier onto the containers substantially simultaneously. Some embodiments of the system include a one-piece manual applicator, while other embodiments include a semi-automatic apparatus that includes a carrier support with retractable carrier support plates and a linear actuator for pressing the platen and carrier down on the containers. A method of use is also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for packaging two or more containers of the type having a body, a neck, and a lid with a chime, the chimes of the containers all aligned in a horizontal plane, the containers packaged together with a carrier of the type having two or more apertures each for receiving the chime and neck of one of the containers, each aperture having a plurality of tabs formed at an inside edge thereof, each tab configured for bending upward when contacting the chime of one of the containers, each tab having a length and a thickness, the system comprising:
 a platen having apertures for pressing the carrier down uniformly onto the containers, each aperture having a gap between an inside aperture wall and the chime of one of the containers; 
 a carrier support configured for maintaining the carrier in a flat configuration, the carrier support configured to contact at least a portion of a bottom side of the carrier; 
 whereby with the carrier supported with the carrier support, the platen presses the carrier onto the containers uniformly, the tabs of the carrier deforming upwardly substantially simultaneously to pass the chimes of the containers, each tab abutting a lower edge of the chime of one of the containers to hold the containers together with the carrier, the platen thereafter being withdrawn from the carrier and the containers to release the carrier and the containers, 
 wherein a corner between a bottom surface of the platen and the inside aperture wall of each aperture of the platen is a rounded corner. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1  wherein the corner between the bottom surface of the platen and the inside aperture wall of each aperture of the platen includes a radius between 0.03125 inches and 0.09375 inches. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1  wherein the gap between the inside aperture wall of each aperture of the platen and the chime of one of the containers engaged with the aperture of the platen is between 0.030 inches and 0.050 inches. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1  wherein a manual applicator includes the carrier support integrally formed with the platen. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 4  wherein the manual applicator includes a skirt having a slot therein for receiving the carrier therethrough to engage the carrier support. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1  wherein the carrier support includes at least one carrier retainer plate movable between an engaged position wherein the at least one carrier retainer plate engages and supports the carrier, and a disengaged position wherein the at least one carrier retainer plate is retracted away from and disengages from the carrier, each carrier retainer plate fixed with a carrier mount. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 6  further including at least a pair of guides orthogonally fixed with a base, the carrier mount having at least a pair of slide mechanisms each engaging one of the guides, the platen fixed with a platen mounting plate that also includes at least a pair of the slide mechanisms each engaging one of the guides, the platen slidably fixed with the guides above the carrier retainer plates and the carrier mount;
 whereby with the carrier retainer plates in the engaged position and engaged with the carrier, and with the containers each supported on the base and aligned to receive the carrier, the platen mounting plate is moved downward, guided by the guides, until the platen engages the carrier, the platen mounting plate and the carrier mount then moved downwardly together until the tabs of the apertures of the carrier contact the chimes of the containers, the tabs of the apertures of the carrier being bent upward under downward pressure from the platen until each tab engages the neck and the lower edge of the chime of one of the containers, the carrier retainer plates then being retracted to release the carrier from the carrier support, the carrier mount and platen mounting plate thereafter being raised to clear the carrier and the containers such that the carrier and the containers can be removed from the semi-automatic apparatus. 
 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 7  further including at least one upper container guide projecting downwardly from the carrier mount and adapted to contact at least one of the containers as the carrier is lowered towards the containers to properly position the containers with respect to the carrier. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 7  further including at least one linear actuator fixed with the platen mounting plate and adapted to raise and lower the platen mounting plate and platen between a raised position wherein the platen and carrier support clear the containers, and a lowered position wherein the carrier and platen engage the containers. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 9  further including a controller electrically connected with a switch that, when actuated, causes the controller to lower the platen mounting plate from the raised position towards the containers, the controller also electrically connected with a proximity sensor adapted to detect when the chime of one of the containers reaches a predetermined position with respect to the platen, the controller then raising the platen mounting plate to the raised position. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 10  wherein the proximity sensor is a laser distance sensor mounted with the platen or platen mounting plate and adapted to return a distance range between the laser distance sensor and the lid of one of the containers. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 9  further including at least one vertically adjustable mechanical stop, wherein the platen mounting plate contacts the mechanical stop when the carrier support and the platen reach the lowered position. 
     
     
       13. A system for packaging two or more containers of the type having a body, a neck, and a lid with a chime, the chimes of the containers all aligned in a horizontal plane, the system comprising:
 a carrier having two or more apertures each for receiving the chime and neck of one of the containers, each aperture having a plurality of tabs formed at an inside edge thereof, each tab configured for bending upward when contacting the chime of one of the containers, each tab having a length and a thickness; 
 a platen having apertures for pressing the carrier down uniformly onto the containers, each aperture having a gap between an inside aperture wall and the chime of one of the containers; 
 a carrier support configured for maintaining the carrier in a flat configuration, the carrier support configured to contact at least a portion of a bottom side of the carrier; 
 whereby with the carrier supported with the carrier support, the platen presses the carrier onto the containers uniformly, the tabs of the carrier deforming upwardly substantially simultaneously to pass the chimes of the containers, each tab abutting a lower edge of the chime of one of the containers to hold the containers together with the carrier, the platen thereafter being withdrawn from the carrier and the containers to release the carrier and the containers. 
 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 13  wherein a corner between a bottom surface of the platen and the inside aperture wall of each aperture of the platen includes a radius between 0.03125 inches and 0.09375 inches. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 13  wherein the gap between the inside aperture wall of each aperture of the platen and the chime of one of the containers engaged with the aperture of the platen is between 0.030 inches and 0.050 inches. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 13  wherein a ratio of the thickness of each tab to the length of the tab is between 0.448 and 0.100. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 16  wherein the manual applicator includes a skirt having a slot therein for receiving the carrier therethrough to engage the carrier support. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 13  wherein each tab of each aperture of the carrier has a trapezoidal shape, gaps formed between the tabs being substantially triangular in shape. 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 13  wherein a manual applicator includes the carrier support integrally formed with the platen. 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 13  wherein the carrier support includes at least one carrier retainer plate movable between an engaged position wherein the at least one carrier retainer plate engages and supports the carrier, and a disengaged position wherein the at least one carrier retainer plate is retracted away from and disengages from the carrier, each carrier retainer plate fixed with a carrier mount. 
     
     
       21. The system of  claim 20  further including at least a pair of guides orthogonally fixed with a base, the carrier mount having at least a pair of slide mechanisms each engaging one of the guides, the platen fixed with a platen mounting plate that also includes at least a pair of the slide mechanisms each engaging one of the guides, the platen slidably fixed with the guides above the carrier retainer plates and the carrier mount;
 whereby with the carrier retainer plates in the engaged position and engaged with the carrier, and with the containers each supported on the base and aligned to receive the carrier, the platen mounting plate is moved downward, guided by the guides, until the platen engages the carrier, the platen mounting plate and the carrier mount then moved downwardly together until the tabs of the apertures of the carrier contact the chimes of the containers, the tabs of the apertures of the carrier being bent upward under downward pressure from the platen until each tab engages the neck and the lower edge of the chime of one of the containers, the carrier retainer plates then being retracted to release the carrier from the carrier support, the carrier mount and platen mounting plate thereafter being raised to clear the carrier and the containers such that the carrier and the containers can be removed from the semi-automatic apparatus. 
 
     
     
       22. The system of  claim 21  further including at least one upper container guide projecting downwardly from the carrier mount and adapted to contact at least one of the containers as the carrier is lowered towards the containers to properly position the containers with respect to the carrier. 
     
     
       23. The system of  claim 21  further including at least one linear actuator fixed with the platen mounting plate and adapted to raise and lower the platen mounting plate and platen between a raised position wherein the platen and carrier support clear the containers, and a lowered position wherein the carrier and platen engage the containers. 
     
     
       24. The system of  claim 23  further including a controller electrically connected with a switch that, when actuated, causes the controller to lower the platen mounting plate from the raised position towards the containers, the controller also electrically connected with a proximity sensor adapted to detect when the chime of one of the containers reaches a predetermined position with respect to the platen, the controller then raising the platen mounting plate to the raised position. 
     
     
       25. The system of  claim 24  wherein the proximity sensor is a laser distance sensor mounted with the platen or platen mounting plate and adapted to return a distance range between the laser distance sensor and the lid of one of the containers. 
     
     
       26. The system of  claim 24  further including at least one vertically adjustable mechanical stop, wherein the platen mounting plate contacts the mechanical stop when the carrier support and the platen reach the lowered position. 
     
     
       27. The system of  claim 13  wherein the carrier support contacts the bottom side of the carrier of each corner of the carrier. 
     
     
       28. A method of packaging two or more containers of the type having a body, a neck, and a lid with a chime, comprising the steps:
 providing a carrier having two or more apertures each for receiving the chime and neck of one of the containers, each aperture having a plurality of tabs formed at an inside edge thereof, each tab configured for bending upward when contacting the chime of one of the containers, each tab having a length and a thickness; 
 providing a platen having apertures for pressing the carrier down uniformly onto the containers, each aperture having a gap between an inside aperture wall and the chime of one of the containers; and a carrier support configured for maintaining the carrier in a flat configuration; 
 inserting the carrier into the carrier support, the carrier support contacting at least a portion of a bottom side of the carrier to hold the carrier onto the carrier support; 
 positioning the containers below the platen and carrier with the chimes of each container in a common horizontal plane; 
 pressing down the platen so that the carrier is pushed onto the containers uniformly, the tabs of the carrier deforming upwardly substantially simultaneously to pass the chimes of the containers, each tab abutting a lower edge of the chime of one of the containers to hold the containers together with the carrier; 
 withdrawing the platen from the carrier and the containers to release the carrier and the containers. 
 
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 28  further including the steps:
 providing a semi-automatic apparatus for housing the platen and the carrier support, wherein the carrier support includes at least one carrier retainer plate movable between an engaged position wherein the at least one carrier retainer plate engages and supports the carrier, and a disengaged position wherein the at least one carrier retainer plate is retracted away from and disengages from the carrier, each carrier retainer plate fixed with a carrier mount; at least a pair of guides orthogonally fixed with a base, the carrier mount having at least a pair of slide mechanisms each engaging one of the guides, the platen fixed with a platen mounting plate that also includes at least a pair of the slide mechanisms each engaging one of the guides, the platen slidably fixed with the guides above the carrier retainer plates and the carrier mount; at least one linear actuator fixed with the platen mounting plate and adapted to raise and lower the platen mounting plate and platen between a raised position wherein the platen and carrier support clear the containers, and a lowered position wherein the carrier and platen engage the containers; 
 setting the carrier retainer plates in the engaged position to engage the carrier; and 
 retracting the carrier retainer plates to release the carrier from the carrier support once the tabs of the carrier are engaged with each container.